Life, Volume 10, Issue 4

Maternal obesity during pregnancy is associated with a greater risk of poor health outcomes in offspring, including obesity, metabolic disorders, and anxiety, however the incidence of these diseases differs for males and females. Similarly, animal mo...

The histamine H₄ receptor, belonging to the family of G-protein coupled receptors, is an increasingly attractive drug target. It plays an indispensable role in many cellular pathways, and numerous H₄R ligands are being studied for the treatment of se...

In the ‘Rocket Science’ project, storage of Eruca sativa (salad rocket) seeds for six months on board the International Space Station resulted in delayed seedling establishment. Here we investigated the physiological and molecular mechani...

Background: The effect of noise and vibration exposure on disturbed sleep has been investigated in the past. However, this study was carried out to investigate the relationship between workplace noise and vibration exposure with insomnia amongst repr...

The cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 is known for producing polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) under unbalanced nutrient conditions. Although many cyanobacteria produce PHB, its physiological relevance remains unknown, since previous studies conclude...

Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation is considered an energy source for the prebiotic chemical synthesis of life’s building blocks. However, it also results in photodegradation of biology-related organic compounds on early Earth. Thus, it is important...

The aim of this review is to summarize and discuss recent findings and new insights in the etiology and phenotype of metabolic myopathies. The review relies on a systematic literature review of recent publications. Metabolic myopathies are a heteroge...

Recently, a 30-cm object was discovered to graze the Earth’s atmosphere and shift into a Jupiter-crossing orbit. We use the related survey parameters to calibrate the total number of such objects. The number of objects that could have exported...

With the discovery of the persistent jets of water being ejected to space from Enceladus, an understanding of the effect of the space environment on potential organisms and biosignatures in them is necessary for planning life detection missions. We e...

Exposure to ionizing radiation (IR) could affect the human brain and eyes leading to both cognitive and visual impairments. The aim of this paper was to review and analyze the current literature, and to comment on the ensuing findings in the light of...

Motivated by the need to paint a more general picture of what life is—and could be—with respect to the rest of the phenomena of the universe, we propose a new vocabulary for astrobiological research. Lyfe is defined as any system that ful...

Two important ions, K⁺ and Na⁺, are unequally distributed across the contemporary phospholipid-based cell membrane because modern cells evolved a series of sophisticated protein channels and pumps to maintain ion gradients. The earliest life-like ent...

Using native seed mixtures to create or recover grassland habitats in rotation to crops or in strips surrounding fields is considered a cost-effective practice to enhance ecosystem resilience and agro-biodiversity. The aim of this research was to ass...

Steroidal glycoalkaloids (SGAs) are a class of nitrogen-containing glycosides occurring in several plant families and biosynthesized through a specific pathway. HMG-CoA reductase is the first enzyme of this pathway, and its transcription can be regul...

The question of where life originated has been contentious for a very long time. Scientists have invoked many environments to address this question. Often, we find ourselves beholden to a location, especially if we think life originated once and then...

Carbon fixation, in addition to the evolution of metabolism, is a main requirement for the evolution of life. Here, we report a one-pot carbon fixation of acetylene (C₂H₂) and carbon monoxide (CO) by aqueous nickel sulfide (NiS) under hydrothermal (&...

Magnetite is an iron oxide mineral component of primitive Earth. It is naturally synthesized in different ways, such as magma cooling as well as olivine decomposition under hydrothermal conditions. It is probable magnetite played a significant role i...

With the increase of forest fires in Portugal in recent decades, a significant part of woodlands is being converted into shrubland areas. Background: From an ecological point of view, woodlands and shrublands play an essential role, as they not only...

A precision health initiative was implemented across a multi-hospital health system, wherein a panel of genetic variants was tested and utilized in the clinical care of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Pharmacogenomic predictors of antihyperten...

Introduction: A parasite community is usually well adapted and specific to the host species they co-evolved with. Although exotic pathogens infecting autochthonous species have been documented, the infection of an alien species with native parasites...